Seatrade Europe, taking place in Hamburg from 6-8 September, has a dedicated conference session with a unique and new format. With the number of cruise ships deployed in Europe increasing each year, ports and destinations are under increasing pressure to accommodate the influx of ships and passengers, as well as larger ships and new technologies, the conference sessions will offer insight from key industry leaders.

Moderating the session will be Alessandro Carollo, Head of Port Operations EMEA for Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd who offers us a view of the topic from a cruise line perspective:

“No doubt the increasing tonnage of new builds requires adjustments from ports and destinations alike; the improvements that these key stakeholders are constantly working on are critical to the success of the whole industry. Since the arrival of the world’s largest ship in Europe (Oasis class) in 2014, we have seen a lot of engagement from both to better understand the requirements for ships of that size in terms of technical as well as touristic-related needs. All ports and destinations keen to work with mega ships need to continue to improve their infrastructures and offering, utilizing the success and lessons learned from their predecessors.“

The first of these case studies will look at port and airport collaboration for home porting operations, and will be led by Arnt Møller Pedersen, Chief Operating Officer, Cruise & Ferries, Copenhagen Malmö Port:

“Copenhagen Malmö Port has for a number of years been working very closely with Copenhagen Airport, Bags Inc. and SAS, testing an ‘Onboard Airline Check-in’ system, which will allow cruise passengers to place their luggage outside their cabin door the night before arriving to Copenhagen, and then retrieve their luggage at the final destination airport. In order to implement the service in full, we still have some challenges with the communication between the European Airlines Amadeus IT system and the Bags Inc. system.”

The second case study, led by Sacha Rougier, Managing Director for Cruise Gate Hamburg, will look at adapting to a quickly changing world through efficient use of infrastructure. Rougier also has great insight into best security practices for ports, following the recent G20 summit in Hamburg:

“Terminal Security during the G20 summit in Hamburg, and also after the recent attacks in Munich and Nice, is one of the topics I will be discussing during the session at Seatrade Europe. Hamburg deployed some 20,000 police officers for the G20 summit to prevent violent protests and to protect government leaders. As terminal operators we need to deal with most eventualities and therefore we worked closely with the Police to enable cruise ships to safely call at Hamburg during this period.”

The final case study focusses on sustainable tourism and managing congestion ashore and will be led by Rita Berstand Maraak, Port Director for Geirangerfjord Cruise Port who has first-hand experience:

“We need to change to preserve. Geirangerfjord cruise port relies on a close dialogue with the shipping companies if we are to achieve an appropriate development of the region, and a harmonious relationship between the local community and an active cruise industry. Together, we can ensure a forward-looking and sustainable development – safeguarding both commercial development and the environment.”

The topic of ports and destinations and how they operate beyond peak demand will be discussed during the conference at Seatrade Europe 2017, taking place at Hamburg Messe und Congress in Hamburg, Germany this September. It is a new format for the session and will feature ‘Case Studies’ from Copenhagen Malmö Port, Cruise Gate Hamburg and Geirangerfjord Cruise Port. The session will take place on Thursday 7 September 2017 from 1030-1130hrs.

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